| |
| |
|
PR Information |
|
|
|
The Three-Mile Radius
In last year's animated film Shrek II, a giant gingerbread man steps on a building and sends all the customers scurrying across the street. The name of the establishment they leave and the one they run into is "Farbucks" - poking fun at the fact that an unending stream of patrons appears willing to pay four bucks for a cup of coffee. While it's an exaggeration to say there is one on every corner, since 1992, Starbucks has exploded from 192 locations to more than 9,000 worldwide, and will average four new store openings every day this year. Starbucks isn't the only retailer attempting to create density in the marketplace. Walgreen's and CVS are popping up locations everywhere - usually across the street from each other, just like Lowe's and The Home Depot. In my small community, there are even two Shell stations on either side of the primary street; definitely a strategy of getting your customers coming and going. As a small business owner, your challenges probably lie more in the area of finding new customers than in what area to open your new location. The first step in growing your business is to own the three-mile radius surrounding it. Before worrying about how to get folks from the other side of the city to do business with you, make sure you've taken the proper approaches to informing everyone who lives and works nearby that you are there for them. There are many techniques for getting your name out to prospects, and you may already be utilizing some of them. Networking at community events is a great way to become visible to your potential customers. And don't be shy about asking your best customers to refer you to their friends and associates. Advertising in a local magazine is an excellent way to reach those in your target market. Direct Mail, billboards, Yellow Pages, radio/TV and even a magnetic sign hung on your car door are all proven forms of effective advertising. An often overlooked marketing gem is public relations. Think of PR as free advertising?with one big difference. With advertising, you pay for the ad and control the message. When it comes to PR, a newspaper or magazine publishes a story about your company and charges you nothing, but they control the editorial content. Despite this important distinction, PR has the potential to send many new customers your way. To get publicity for your business, write a press release containing your newsworthy information. Don't worry about making it fancy, just include the "Who, What, Where, When, Why and How" and your contact information. Find out the names of the editors of local publications who distribute in your three-mile radius such as the Tri-County News, Local Villager and Area Sun, then send them - by fax or e-mail - your press release. Be sure to follow up the next day with a phone call asking if they received it, and if there is any more information you can provide. They'll respect your determination and you'll rise to the top of their "possibilities" file. Editors are always looking for news, but be aware they don't like press releases that appear to be promotions or sales pitches. One of the first things I learned in journalism school more than 25 years ago is "Dog bites man. No story. Man bites dog. That's news." Be creative in crafting your press releases. Start by thinking about yourself. What makes you unique? One of our coaching clients is a former two-time individual world champion in his sport. When opening his business, he decided to separate the successful athlete of his youth from the aspiring business owner of his adulthood, so "people would take me more seriously." When we started working together, I immediately suggested he change that philosophy and capitalize on the champion angle. After sending out a few press releases, he started receiving many calls from editors who recognized the connection between perseverance as an athlete and a business owner. The ensuing articles led to speaking engagements at community events and, ultimately, to more customers. The mythical kingdom in Shrek - home of Princess Fiona - is named Far Far Away, and some area businesses are able to attract customers from far away neighborhoods. The faux jewelry and fashion stores you would drive miles to visit are perfect examples, as are unique restaurants far far away. If your business doesn't fall into this category, remember to focus on owning your three-mile radius. There are plenty of potential customers within that circle just waiting for you to tell them how you will make things better for them. Copyright © 2005 by Success Handler, LLC. All rights reserved. The Coach, David Handler, is the founder of Success Handler, (http://www.successhandler.com), and specializes in helping small business leaders find clarity and take action. He understands the challenges of running a business, because he's been there - as a small business owner, franchisee, franchisor, corporate leader, and trainer. Much like sports coaches, his coaching will show you how to compete on a level playing field in your industry.
MORE RESOURCES:
PR - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Top Ten Tips For Great Sound Bites If you're an online business using public relations (PR) to help increase traffic at your site, you've found a great way to gain exposure at little cost. And before you know it, the day will come when you are invited to do an interview with a reporter. Publicity: When Calling a Reporter, Keep it Short When you are planning to call a reporter for the first time, it can help to imagine that you are a phone solicitor (albeit one with terrific, useful ideas).When phone solicitors call you, you don't want to hear a long explanation of their product. Managers Who Tap Into PRs Value Business, non-profit and association managers get a ton of satisfaction when they do something really positive about the behaviors of those outside audiences that most affect their operation. Especially when they deliver external stakeholder behavior change, the kind that leads directly to achieving their managerial objectives; and even more so when they persuade those important outside folks to their way of thinking, then move them to take actions that help their department, division or subsidiary succeed. Is There a Plumber in the House? I don't know about you but I get really frustrated when I have to deal with anyone in the plumbing, heating, or electrical field. For the most part, the service is horrible, the contractors are unreliable, and the lack of professionalism is rampant. Can Newbies Avoid The Pitfalls? Yes indeed! If you are a young person who has decided that a career in public relations will be your Caviar and Champagne in life, here are four situations in which you do not want to find yourself:1. You confuse the basic function of public relations with sub-parts that make up the whole like publicity, crisis management or employee communications. Building The Best Network If you want to succeed, build a great team. A great team multiplies your prospects for success; it enables you to form relationships with powerful people who can make your dreams come true. Managers, Start Your PR There'll never be a better time for a manager working for a business, non-profit or association to ask this question: "Am I getting the public relations results I'm paying for -- the really important external audience behaviors I need to achieve my department, division or subsidiary objectives?"If the answer is no, better get busy and rebuild that public relations engine.Best place to look for an answer to your question is the foundation on which your public relations effort is based. Speak Up Another way to really become known in your area is to speak up. Make yourself available to talk to every civic,business and educational group that will have you. Media Training: When Reporters Lie I recently worked with a group dealing with an unusual problem. It seems that a local television reporter in town known for his aggressive style of reporting has a nasty habit of lying. For Financial Planners, Marketing and Publicity Is About You For financial planners, getting publicity, in the end, isn't about having contacts in the media.Or about writing a great press release. PR: Focus on What Matters! Sure, as a manager, you have a talented member of the PR team assigned to your department, division or subsidiary, or housed at your agency, and s/he is darn good at placing product and service plugs on radio and in the newspaper. Which may be all you want. A Managers PR Paradigm If you manage a department, division or subsidiary for a business, non-profit or association, your primary public relations model probably should read this way: people act on their own perception of the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired- action the very people whose behaviors affect the organization the most, the public relations mission is accomplished. Media Kit: 25 Component Possibilities Media kits include a combination of information whether created for electronic delivery or print. The number of components depends on the kit's focus and intention. Financial Planning Publicity: When Talking to the Media, Dont Fake What You Dont Know Relationships are based on trust-not just romantic relationships, or doctor/patient relationships, but practically any relationship, even the one with your auto mechanic.That's why the absolute worst thing a financial planner can do in their relationship with a reporter-especially a new relationship-is to give them false information. Cross Cultural Communication & PR The Public Relations (PR) industry is responsible for creating and maintaining relationships between clients and customers. Through areas such as brand management, advertising, media relations and crisis management, PR practitioners seek to foster interest, trust and belief in a product or company. PR: Am I Getting a Good Deal? You are getting a good deal when you accept the fact that the right PR really CAN alter individual perception and lead to the changed behaviors you need.Especially when you recognize that people really DO act upon their perceptions of the facts they hear about your operations, and about you as a manager. Publicity: Nailing a Media Interview, Part I The most important thing to remember for any interview: stay on topic. I ask clients to repeat this like a mantra before they go on the air, or even when on the phone with a reporter. Publicity: Polls and Surveys Are a Great Path Free Publicity When I search Google News for "surveys," I get nearly 50,000 results. When I search for "stocks," I get about 54,000. Press Releases How do press releases or interest stories have an effect on meeting new potential clients?Press releases can make the difference between being known and being just the same old service that everyone offers. You need to set yourself apart from all the others. Publicity Wont Thrive on Press Releases Alone Press releases are a useful tool for announcing news and for keeping your name in the mind of the news media.But you can't build a successful publicity campaign on press releases alone, for the simple reason that very few press releases ever make it into the paper.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
